Sister of a deputy that died in the line of duty helps create Pueblo Law Enforcement Memorial

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO)--The Pueblo Fallen Peace Officer Memorial Foundation is committed to creating a lasting memorial to peace officers from the Pueblo community who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.

The memorial will serve as a place where family, friends, members of the community, and visitors can honor and reflect on the personal contribution of each of the men and women who served in Pueblo County.

Local law enforcement agencies including Colorado State Patrol, the Pueblo Police Department, and the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office are partnering with the Pueblo Fallen Peace Officer Memorial
Foundation to support this project and honor their fallen brothers and sisters.

Since 1879, Twenty Peace Officers have died in the line of duty in the County of Pueblo, according to The Pueblo Fallen Peace Officer Memorial Foundation website.

One of those officers that died was Captain Leide William DeFusco, who died in a plane crash in August of 2012.

At the time, the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office was investigating illegal marijuana grows in an area and was trying to gain intelligence by trying to spot exactly where they were from up above so they could get a better plan of how to execute a search warrant.

A narcotics task force had raided two large marijuana plantations in the area two weeks earlier.

Captain Leide William DeFusco and the pilot John Barger were searching for additional grows nearby when radio contact was lost. A rescue team located the wreckage of the Piper Super Cruiser in the San Isabel National Forest, approximately five miles below St. Charles Peak, in Custer County.

Barger was an experienced pilot who provided flight services to local law enforcement agencies.

Defusco's end of watch was August 31st, 2012. He had served in law enforcement for a total of 22 years, serving with the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office and previously served with the Pueblo Police Department.

Leide was a father to 4 kids and husband to his wife Wendy DeFusco.

Mianna DeFusco, Leide's sister, serves on the board of the Pueblo Fallen Peace Officer Memorial Foundation and hopes there will be an officer memorial closer to home. DeFusco said the closest one is in Golden, CO.

It's going to be great to have somewhere local to go and pay your respects," said Mianna DeFusco.

The previous chief of the Pueblo Police Department, Troy D. Davenport, started this effort several years ago. Davenport serves as President of the board.

The current Pueblo Police Chief, Chris Noeller, serves as the Secretary on the board. Noeller said a Colorado Springs contractor donated their services to design the memorial, but now they just need the money to build it.

The Foundation is now looking for donations to fundraise $350,000 to complete the project. Donations are tax-deductible. To donate to the the Pueblo Fallen Peace Officer Memorial Foundation, click here.

The Pueblo Fallen Peace Officer Memorial Foundation is hoping to break ground this year on the new memorial. The goal is to finish this project by 2024.